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Phew! It was a long, fun day at Baltimore Comic-Con, but I’ll keep this quick so I can get to the best tidbits from the con. Despite the big guns in comics (Marvel, DC, Indigo, Dark Horse) and movies (WB/CW, Universal, Fox, etc.) not having Dealer’s Room presence, there was plenty to see and do!

Comics I wanna see on the big screen (or just get my paws on Right Now):

* Sandshark Studios had a new offering with a name that’s totally cool: Adam And Eve Bizarre Love Triangle In The Zombie Apocalypse Volume 1: Post Armageddon Underground Bunker Blues. Try saying that five times fast. And after (pawing) looking at the dealer’s copy, it’s just as cool as it sounds.

* Kill Shakespeare. No, it’s not the latest arthouse film or a sign I’ve lost my marbles, but a groovy new series. Shakespeare’s characters exist, and they’re looking for a wizard…named Will. Cool? Absolutely.

* The Field on the Edge of the Woods. Oooh, spooky. But I can’t seem to be scared; I’m too busy staring at the gorgeous pencil work. It has a bit of Song of Ice and Fire to it (a bad place beyond a great wall), but there’s a definite modern, funky twist to it.

* Spotlight on Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire: hilarious, informative and the first time these three have ever been in a panel together (who knew?) They discussed their work on Justice League, Metal Men and anything else that popped into their heads.
- On their work on the 80’s Justice League: “Never a time when I didn’t think the book would be ripped away from us.”
- “‘Til Moving Day, it wasn’t a conscious decision to add humor.”
- DC “never let off the idea of taking the humor out of it”, and was afraid they’d “spoil” Wonder Woman, and thought “humor was off-genre”.
- Who came up with “Bwah-ha-ha”? Although they could find out by tracking down notes and drawings from that time, Keith Giffen spoke for ‘em all; “I don’t give a damn!”
- Kevin Maguire is a fan of digital artistry, and thinks in some instances comics look better on the digital page than the printed one (depending on paper stock used in printing).

* Marvel Panel: How does Marvel take to artists changing around character personalities and such? Apparently Marvel is pretty flexible with their artists, but expect them to “put the toys back where you found them. Everybody knows that.”
- What should you read? “Anything Jeff Parker writes”. “Jonathan Hickman’s Ultimates and S.H.I.E.L.D”. “FF, X Force, Daredevil” (don’t let Ben Affleck turn you away from it. Trust me.)

* Legendary Panel: the comics, not the movies (though they will be getting more out to fans at New York Comic-Con).
- About Frank Miller’s (300, Sin City) Holy Terror, ten years in the making? Could be good; Editor-in-Chief Bob Schreck calls it “Frank’s version of Inglorious Basterds”. It’s due out the third week of Septmber, and already has people clamoring for it (as you’d expect from this massive talent).
- On comics vs. movies: “The main goal for Legendary is to make good books.” So don’t think comics are a secondary to the movie division. It ain’t.
- On embracing or passing on digital comics: “if you don’t accept change it runs you over and leaves you for dead.”

* DC’s New 52 Panel : this was the panel that tore folks from the costume contest (though there were definitely enough fans in there so that the cheering and applause definitely carried through the walls….) But that’s no surprise; re-numbering 52 DC titles so they’e back at Issue #1? After this panel, this is one fangirl who had her reservations (Swamp Thing!), but will head out to grab up the new Swampy #1
- “DC…is taking action to make sure comics still exist.”
- “We are not here to see you stories we don’t believe in….DC is just now allowing us to take these characters where we’ve always wanted to.”
- As far as dropping it all on us in September? Not so fast, there’s “so much more going on outside of September!” Unfortunately, they couldn’t give more specifics. Guess we’ll have to wait for the New York Comic-Con to get those details, since the reveal will be in “2 to 3 months”.

* Top Cow Panel: Yeah, there will be changes in Witchblade, but not anything crazy. But Velocity will appear in Artifacts. Yes, you fans can squee now.

* Costume Contest: yeah, I missed most of it so I could snag some quality info on the New 52. But pictures? Pictures I’ve got, from beginning of the day to end. Enjoy!